# Lissopimpla excelsa

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Species of wasp

Lissopimpla excelsa Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Clade: Pancrustacea Class: Insecta Order: Hymenoptera Family: Ichneumonidae Genus: Lissopimpla Species: L. excelsa Binomial name Lissopimpla excelsa (Costa, 1864) Synonyms Lissopimpla semipunctata Kirby Lissopimpla octo-guttata Kriechb.

***Lissopimpla excelsa***, commonly known as the **orchid dupe wasp**, is a [wasp](/source/Wasp) of the family [Ichneumonidae](/source/Ichneumonidae) native to Australia. Although also found in New Zealand, where it is known as the dusky-winged ichneumonid, it has probably been introduced there.[1] However, another source states that it may be native to New Zealand.[2]

It pollinates all five Australian members of the orchid genus *[Cryptostylis](/source/Cryptostylis)*. The male wasp mistakes the flower parts for a female wasp and attempts to copulate with it. Although the different species can occur together, they appear to inhibit cross-fertilisation and no hybrids are found in nature.[3] This discovery was made by Australian naturalist [Edith Coleman](/source/Edith_Coleman) in 1928. The term "[pseudocopulation](/source/Pseudocopulation)" has since been coined to describe the phenomenon. The mimicking of flowers to resemble female wasp parts has since been recorded in other orchid genera.[4]

Although termed pseudocopulation, vigorous copulation does occur, and the male wasp ejaculates enough so that the emissions are visible to the naked eye on the flower parts. A 2008 field study showed these to contain wasp sperm.[5] The flowers of *[Cryptostylis](/source/Cryptostylis)* orchids and female wasp body parts are very similar in colour when viewed under a [hymenopteran](/source/Hymenoptera) visual system, despite looking unlike to human eyes. Although the colours that ichneumon wasps see are unknown, bees and wasps have similar perception with green, blue and ultraviolet wavelengths.[6] The *Cryptostylis* flowers have no smell detectable to humans, but have been shown to have an odour which attracts the wasp.[7] Pseudocopulation with the orchid *Cryptostylis subulata* occurs in New Zealand.[8]

The orchid dupe wasp was first described by Italian entomologist [Achille Costa](/source/Achille_Costa) in 1864 as *Pimpla excelsa*, before being placed in (and becoming the type species of) the new genus *[Lissopimpla](/source/Lissopimpla)* in 1889 by [Joseph Kriechbaumer](/source/Joseph_Kriechbaumer), who called it *Lissopimpla octo-guttata* Kriechb. It was also known for many years as *Lissopimpla semipunctata*, however Costa's name has priority and hence is the correct name.[1] The head, mesosoma, legs and apical segments of the metasoma are red-brown, the first four segments of the metasoma are black with paired large white spots, and the wings are a dark smoky brown except at the apex of the fore wings.[1] Like all members of its family, *L. excelsa* is [parasitic](/source/Parasitic_wasp). One species [*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*] it preys upon is the noctuid moth pest species *[Helicoverpa armigera](/source/Helicoverpa_armigera)*.[9]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-parrot_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-parrot_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-parrot_1-2) Parrot, Arthur W. (1952). ["New Zealand Ichneumonidae II"](http://rsnz.natlib.govt.nz/volume/rsnz_80/rsnz_80_02_002700.html). *Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand*. **80**: 155–57. Retrieved 22 November 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Lissopimpla"](https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/science/plants-animals-fungi/animals/invertebrates/systematics/hymenoptera/ichneumonidae/factsheets/lissopimpla). *Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research*. Retrieved 2018-06-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Robert L. Dressler (1993). [*Phylogeny and classification of the orchid family*](https://books.google.com/books?id=4_xL5qOVa-sC&dq=cryptostylis&pg=PA134). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 134. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-521-45058-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-521-45058-6). Retrieved 22 November 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Rod Peakall (2007). ["Pollination by Sexual Deception in Australian Terrestrial Orchids"](https://web.archive.org/web/20101211031917/http://www.anu.edu.au/BoZo/orchid_pollination/). *Australian National University website*. Canberra, ACT: Australian National University. Archived from [the original](http://www.anu.edu.au/BoZo/orchid_pollination/) on 11 December 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** A. C. Gaskett; C. G. Winnick; M. E. Herberstein (2008). ["Orchid Sexual Deceit Provokes Ejaculation"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110310085538/http://www.bio.mq.edu.au/dept/centres/behavioural/Anne/Gaskett_etal08_AmNat_proof.pdf) (PDF). *The American Naturalist*. **171** (6): E206-12. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/587532](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F587532). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [18433329](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18433329). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [16443767](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:16443767). Archived from [the original](http://www.bio.mq.edu.au/dept/centres/behavioural/Anne/Gaskett_etal08_AmNat_proof.pdf) (PDF) on 10 March 2011. Retrieved 22 November 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** A. C. Gaskett; M. E. Herberstein (2010). ["Colour mimicry and sexual deception by Tongue orchids (*Cryptostylis*)"](http://www.andreluisacosta.com/Bombusterre/Naturwissenschaften/Communication_2010.pdf) (PDF). *Naturwissenschaften*. **97** (1): 97–102. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1007/s00114-009-0611-0](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs00114-009-0611-0). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [19798479](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19798479). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [1729573](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:1729573). Retrieved 22 November 2010.[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Schiestl, Florian P.; Peakall, Rod; Mant, Jim (2004). ["Chemical communication in the sexually deceptive orchid genus Cryptostylis"](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1095-8339.2003.00249.x). *Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society*. **144** (2): 199–205. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.1095-8339.2003.00249.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1095-8339.2003.00249.x).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Graham, D. K. F. (1983). ["Interaction Between an Ichneumonid Wasp and the Australian Tongue Orchid in New Zealand"](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/62677952). *[Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum](/source/Records_of_the_Auckland_Institute_and_Museum)*. **20**: 217–222. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0067-0464](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0067-0464). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [42906525](https://www.jstor.org/stable/42906525). [Wikidata](/source/WDQ_(identifier)) [Q58677551](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q58677551).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Peter T. Bailey (2007). [*Pests of field crops and pastures: identification and control*](https://books.google.com/books?id=N10sAEHunWEC&dq=Lissopimpla+excelsa&pg=PA274). Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. p. 274. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-643-06758-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-643-06758-5). Retrieved 22 November 2010.

Taxon identifiers Lissopimpla excelsa Wikidata: Q6559211 AFD: Lissopimpla_excelsa BOLD: 375128 CoL: 3VG83 EoL: 10409417 EPPO: LISPEX GBIF: 1305170 iNaturalist: 198925 IRMNG: 10492301 NCBI: 2070883 NZOR: d50b58cb-3d47-46e5-a8ab-efe6834ed7b7 Open Tree of Life: 3286521

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lissopimpla excelsa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lissopimpla_excelsa) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lissopimpla_excelsa?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.